I was a victim of politics: Shane Bond

I was a victim of politics: Shane Bond

Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond has said that he became a "victim of politics" after joining the Indian Cricket League (ICL) but he has no regret about playing in the 'rebel' twenty20 event which cost him his international career.

In his autobiography, Looking back, Bond claimed NZC had contractually allowed him to participate in the league but backed out when the ICC intervened.

"What I'll never understand is why it had to be one or the other, ICL or playing for New Zealand, especially when I received a cast-iron assurance that I could do both, and my contract with New Zealand Cricket certainly allowed for it," Bond said in his book.

"In the end I became a victim of politics. As distasteful as that might be, I could learn to live with that, but what I can't live with is the suggestion that in the end I didn't want to play for my country," he added.

He then signed up with IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, who bid USD 750,000 for him at the auction but Bond says he doesn't regret playing in the ICL.

"One thing I'll never regret is signing to play in the Indian Cricket League. Not at all. I've achieved security for my family and in the long term that is more important than a few Test and one-day caps.

"Although I had been on a good contract by New Zealand standards, I hadn't got rich out of the game. I'd done all right, obviously, but I simply hadn't played long enough to accumulate the sort of income that would provide long-term security for my family once my career ended."

"Excuse me?" was about the only response I could come up with. But the conversation was about to get a whole lot more surreal.

"So let's get this straight, it was okay for NZC to be in breach of this regulation as long as the wrong people didn't find out? Or had they just not done their homework properly? I admit I lost it a bit here and, for the first and only time, I swore at Justin.

"'You're telling me my international career is over because you've f***ed up?'" he wrote in his book.